U.S. patent number 8,231,074 [Application Number 12/797,774] was granted by the patent office on 2012-07-31 for lace winding device for shoes.
Invention is credited to Jin-Jia Hu, Rong-Fu Hu.
United States Patent |
8,231,074 |
Hu , et al. |
July 31, 2012 |
Lace winding device for shoes
Abstract
A lace winding device includes a base, a spool rotatably mounted
in the base, a lace having two distal ends each extending through
the base and each secured on the spool, a limit barrel mounted on
the base, a drive member rotatably mounted in the limit barrel and
connected with the spool to rotate the spool, and a ratchet block
movably mounted on the limit barrel and engaging the drive member.
Thus, the drive member is rotated in one direction only by limit of
the ratchet block so that the spool is driven by the drive member
to rotate in the positive direction only and cannot be rotated in
the opposite direction so as to wind the lace easily and
quickly.
Inventors: |
Hu; Rong-Fu (Wuri Township,
Taichung County, TW), Hu; Jin-Jia (Wuri Township,
Taichung County, TW) |
Family
ID: |
45095446 |
Appl.
No.: |
12/797,774 |
Filed: |
June 10, 2010 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20110303782 A1 |
Dec 15, 2011 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
242/388.1;
242/388.2; 24/68SK; 242/396.4; 242/388.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43C
11/20 (20130101); A43C 11/165 (20130101); Y10T
24/2183 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
B65H
75/38 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;242/378.1-378.3,388.1-388.3,395,396.4 ;24/68R,68SK |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Kim; Sang
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kamrath; Alan Kamrath IP Lawfirm,
PA
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A lace winding device comprising: a base; a spool rotatably
mounted in the base; a lace having two distal ends each extending
through the base and each secured on the spool to move in concert
with the spool; a limit barrel mounted on the base; a drive member
rotatably mounted in the limit barrel and connected with the spool
to drive and rotate the spool; a ratchet block movably mounted on
the limit barrel and engaging the drive member to limit the drive
member to rotate in a oneway manner; and an elastic member mounted
on the limit barrel and abutting the ratchet block to press the
ratchet block toward the limit barrel, wherein the base has an
inner portion formed with a receiving chamber to receive the spool
and has a peripheral wall formed with two passages each connected
to the receiving chamber to allow passage of each of the two distal
ends of the lace; the spool is rotatably mounted in the receiving
chamber of the base and is disposed between the base and an end
cap; the spool has an outer wall formed with a recessed winding
zone connected to the receiving chamber of the base to wind and
unwind the lace by rotation of the spool; the spool has an inner
wall formed with a plurality of keyways; the lace is mounted in the
winding zone of the spool; the limit barrel has an inner portion
formed with a receiving space to receive the drive member and has a
peripheral wall formed with a receiving recess connected to the
receiving space to receive the ratchet block; the ratchet block is
movably mounted in the receiving recess of the limit barrel and has
a distal end provided with an oblique locking detent extending into
the receiving space of the limit barrel and engaging the drive
member; the drive member is rotatably mounted in the receiving
space of the limit barrel and is disposed between the limit barrel
and the base; the drive member has a mediate portion provided with
a ratchet wheel engaging the locking detent of the ratchet block;
the ratchet wheel of the drive member is limited by the locking
detent of the ratchet block so that the ratchet wheel of the drive
member is rotatable in the receiving space of the limit barrel in
one direction only; the drive member has a first side provided with
a plurality of keys engaging the keyways of the spool; the drive
member has a second side provided with a shaft protruding outward
from the limit barrel; and the elastic member presses the locking
detent of the ratchet block toward the ratchet wheel of the drive
member.
2. The lace winding device of claim 1, wherein the limit barrel has
an outer wall formed with an annular retaining groove connected to
the receiving recess to receive the elastic member.
3. The lace winding device of claim 1, wherein the base has an
outer wall provided with an enlarged mounting ring which extends
radially and outwardly.
4. The lace winding device of claim 3, wherein the enlarged
mounting ring of the base has a side formed with two locking
grooves; and the limit barrel has a side provided with two flexible
locking pieces snapped into and locked in the locking grooves of
the mounting ring to lock the limit barrel onto the base.
5. The lace winding device of claim 3, wherein the end cap is
mounted on the base and abuts the spool to cover the spool; and the
mounting ring of the base has a substantially arc-shaped profile
and has an inner portion formed with a mounting recess to receive
the end cap.
6. The lace winding device of claim 3, wherein the base has an open
peripheral wall connected to the receiving chamber to allow passage
of the two distal ends of the lace; the two passages of the base
are formed transversely in a peripheral wall of the mounting ring
and are connected to the open peripheral wall of the base; and the
enlarged mounting ring has a surface provided with an annular
enclosure to shade the open peripheral wall of the base.
7. The lace winding device of claim 3, wherein the two passages of
the base are formed radially in a peripheral wall of the enlarged
mounting ring.
8. The lace winding device of claim 1, wherein the base has an end
face formed with a mounting hole connected to the receiving
chamber; the mounting hole of the base is co-axial with and has a
diameter smaller than that of the receiving chamber; and the spool
has a first side provided with a protruding mounting portion
rotatably mounted in the mounting hole of the base.
9. The lace winding device of claim 8, wherein the spool has a
second side provided with a protruding pivot portion; the end cap
is mounted on the base and abuts the spool to cover the spool; and
the end cap has a central portion provided with a recessed pivot
section mounted on the pivot portion of the spool so that the pivot
portion of the spool is rotatable by support of the pivot section
of the end cap.
10. The lace winding device of claim 8, wherein the spool has a
second side provided with a recessed pivot portion; the end cap is
mounted on the base and abuts the spool to cover the spool; and the
end cap has a central portion provided with a protruding pivot
section mounted in the pivot portion of the spool so that the pivot
portion of the spool is rotatable by support of the pivot section
of the end cap.
11. The lace winding device of claim 8, wherein the end face of the
base has a periphery formed with two fixing bores each connected to
the receiving chamber; the winding zone of the spool has a
peripheral wall formed with two tie holes aligning with the two
passages of the base to allow entrance of the two distal ends of
the lace; the first side of the spool has a periphery formed with
two screw bores connected to the two tie holes and aligning with
the two fixing bores of the base; the two distal ends of the lace
extend through the two passages of the base, the receiving chamber
of the base and the winding zone of the spool into the two tie
holes of the spool; and the lace winding device further comprises
two screw members extending through the two fixing bores of the
base and screwed into the two screw bores of the spool to press the
two distal ends of the lace so as to lock the two distal ends of
the lace onto the spool.
12. The lace winding device of claim 1, wherein the limit barrel
has an end face formed with a through hole connected to the
receiving space; the through hole of the limit barrel is co-axial
with and has a diameter smaller than that of the receiving space;
and the shaft of the drive member is rotatably mounted in the
through hole of the limit barrel.
13. The lace winding device of claim 12, wherein the shaft of the
drive member has a distal end provided with a plug protruding
outward from the through hole of the limit barrel; the drive member
is movable axially in the receiving space of the limit barrel and
is movable axially relative to the spool; the lace winding device
further comprises a control knob rotatably mounted on the limit
barrel and connected with the drive member to move the drive
member; the control knob has an inner portion formed with a sliding
recess rotatably mounted on the limit barrel; and the sliding
recess of the control knob is movable axially on the limit barrel
and has a bottom wall formed with a fixing slot secured on the plug
of the drive member to combine the control knob with the drive
member so that the drive member is rotatable in concert with the
control knob.
14. The lace winding device of claim 13, wherein the control knob
has an end face formed with a through bore connected to the fixing
slot; and the lace winding device further comprises a fastening
bolt extending through the through bore of the control knob and
screwed into the plug of the drive member to fasten the control
knob with the drive member.
15. The lace winding device of claim 1, wherein the base has a side
provided with an outer threaded portion; the end cap is mounted on
the base and abuts the spool to cover the spool; the receiving
chamber of the base is closed by the end cap; and the end cap has a
side provided with an inner threaded portion screwed onto the outer
threaded portion of the base to lock the end cap onto the base.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a winding device and, more
particularly, to a winding device for winding and unwinding a lace
of shoes, boots and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional lace is mounted on shoes so that a user can tighten
the lace so as to fix the shoes. However, the user has to tie or
untie the lace for tightening or loosening the shoes, thereby
causing inconvenience to the user. In addition, the lace depends
from the shoes, thereby decreasing the aesthetic quality of the
shoes.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a lace
winding device that is operated in one direction only so as to wind
the lace smoothly and stably.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a lace
winding device, comprising a base, a spool rotatably mounted in the
base, a lace having two distal ends each extending through the base
and each secured on the spool to move in concert with the spool, a
limit barrel mounted on the base, a drive member rotatably mounted
in the limit barrel and connected with the spool to drive and
rotate the spool, a ratchet block movably mounted on the limit
barrel and engaging the drive member to limit the drive member to
rotate in a oneway manner, and an elastic member mounted on the
limit barrel and abutting the ratchet block to press the ratchet
block toward the limit barrel.
Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description
with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lace winding device in accordance
with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the lace winding device
as shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the lace winding device as
shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a front cross-sectional view of the lace winding device
as shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is another front cross-sectional view of the lace winding
device as shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is a schematic operational view of the lace winding device
as shown in FIG. 3.
FIG. 7 is a side operational view of the lace winding device as
shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 8 is a locally enlarged view of the lace winding device as
shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is a side cross-sectional view of a lace winding device in
accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view of a lace winding device in
accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-5, a lace
winding device in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the
present invention comprises a base 10, a spool 20 rotatably mounted
in the base 10, a lace 70 having two distal ends 72 each extending
through the base 10 and each secured on the spool 20 to move in
concert with the spool 20, a limit barrel 40 mounted on the base
10, a drive member 50 rotatably mounted in the limit barrel 40 and
connected with the spool 20 to drive and rotate the spool 20, a
ratchet block 45 movably mounted on the limit barrel 40 and
engaging the drive member 50 to limit the drive member 50 to rotate
in a oneway manner, an elastic member 47 mounted on the limit
barrel 40 and abutting the ratchet block 45 to press the ratchet
block 45 toward the limit barrel 40, an end cap 30 mounted on the
base 10 and abutting the spool 20 to cover the spool 20, a control
knob 60 rotatably mounted on the limit barrel 40 and connected with
the drive member 50 to move the drive member 50, and a decorative
cap mounted on the control knob 60.
The base 10 has an inner portion formed with a receiving chamber 11
to receive the spool 20 and has a peripheral wall formed with two
passages 17 each connected to the receiving chamber 11 to allow
passage of each of the two distal ends 72 of the lace 70. The base
10 has an end face formed with a mounting hole 12 connected to the
receiving chamber 11. The mounting hole 12 of the base 10 is
co-axial with and has a diameter smaller than that of the receiving
chamber 11. The base 10 has an outer wall provided with an enlarged
mounting ring 16 which extends radially and outwardly. The mounting
ring 16 of the base 10 has a side formed with two locking grooves
14. The passages 17 of the base 10 are formed radially in a
peripheral wall of the mounting ring 16. The base 10 has a side
provided with an outer threaded portion 15. The end face of the
base 10 has a periphery formed with two fixing bores 13 each
connected to the receiving chamber 11. The receiving chamber 11 of
the base 10 is closed by the end cap 30.
The spool 20 is rotatably mounted in the receiving chamber 11 of
the base 10 and is disposed between the base 10 and the end cap 30.
The spool 20 has an outer wall formed with a recessed winding zone
21 connected to the receiving chamber 11 of the base 10 to wind and
unwind the lace 70 by rotation of the spool 20. The winding zone 21
of the spool 20 has a peripheral wall formed with two tie holes 22
aligning with the two passages 17 of the base 10 to allow entrance
of the two distal ends 72 of the lace 70. The spool 20 has an inner
wall formed with a plurality of keyways 25. The spool 20 has a
first side provided with a protruding mounting portion 26 rotatably
mounted in the mounting hole 12 of the base 10. The first side of
the spool 20 has a periphery formed with two screw bores 23
connected to the two tie holes 22 and aligning with the two fixing
bores 13 of the base 10. The keyways 25 of the spool 20 are
disposed in the mounting portion 26. The spool 20 has a second side
provided with a protruding pivot portion 24.
The lace 70 is mounted in the winding zone 21 of the spool 20. The
two distal ends 72 of the lace 70 extend through the two passages
17 of the base 10, the receiving chamber 11 of the base 10 and the
winding zone 21 of the spool 20 into the two tie holes 22 of the
spool 20, and the lace winding device further comprises two screw
members 230 extending through the two fixing bores 13 of the base
10 and screwed into the two screw bores 23 of the spool 20 to press
the two distal ends 72 of the lace 70 so as to lock the two distal
ends 72 of the lace 70 onto the spool 20.
The end cap 30 has a central portion provided with a recessed pivot
section 32 mounted on the pivot portion 24 of the spool 20 so that
the pivot portion 24 of the spool 20 is rotatable by support of the
pivot section 32 of the end cap 30. The end cap 30 has a side
provided with an inner threaded portion 31 screwed onto the outer
threaded portion 15 of the base 10 to lock the end cap 30 onto the
base 10.
The limit barrel 40 has an inner portion formed with a receiving
space 41 to receive the drive member 50 and has a peripheral wall
formed with a receiving recess 44 connected to the receiving space
41 to receive the ratchet block 45. The limit barrel 40 has an end
face formed with a through hole 42 connected to the receiving space
41. The through hole 42 of the limit barrel 40 is co-axial with and
has a diameter smaller than that of the receiving space 41. The
limit barrel 40 has an outer wall formed with an annular retaining
groove 46 connected to the receiving recess 44 to receive the
elastic member 47. The limit barrel 40 has a side provided with two
flexible locking pieces 43 snapped into and locked in the locking
grooves 14 of the mounting ring 16 to lock the limit barrel 40 onto
the base 10.
The ratchet block 45 is movably mounted in the receiving recess 44
of the limit barrel 40 and has a distal end provided with an
oblique locking detent 450 extending into the receiving space 41 of
the limit barrel 40 and engaging the drive member 50.
The drive member 50 is rotatably mounted in the receiving space 41
of the limit barrel 40 and is disposed between the limit barrel 40
and the base 10. The drive member 50 has a mediate portion provided
with a ratchet wheel 51 engaging the locking detent 450 of the
ratchet block 45. The ratchet wheel 51 of the drive member 50 is
limited by the locking detent 450 of the ratchet block 45 so that
the ratchet wheel 51 of the drive member 50 is rotatable in the
receiving space 41 of the limit barrel 40 in one direction only.
The drive member 50 has a first side provided with a plurality of
keys 52 engaging the keyways 25 of the spool 20. The drive member
50 has a second side provided with a shaft 53 protruding outward
from the limit barrel 40. The shaft 53 of the drive member 50 is
rotatably mounted in the through hole 42 of the limit barrel 40.
The shaft 53 of the drive member 50 has a distal end provided with
a plug 54 protruding outward from the through hole 42 of the limit
barrel 40.
When in use, the drive member 50 is movable axially in the
receiving space 41 of the limit barrel 40 and is movable axially
relative to the spool 20 between a first position where the keys 52
of the drive member 50 engage the keyways 25 of the spool 20 so
that the drive member 50 is combined with the spool 20, and a
second position where the keys 52 of the drive member 50 disengage
the keyways 25 of the spool 20 so that the drive member 50 is
detached from the spool 20.
The elastic member 47 has a substantially C-shaped profile and
abuts an outer periphery to press the locking detent 450 of the
ratchet block 45 toward the ratchet wheel 51 of the drive member
50.
The control knob 60 has an inner portion formed with a sliding
recess 61 rotatably mounted on the limit barrel 40. The sliding
recess 61 of the control knob 60 is movable axially on the limit
barrel 40 and has a bottom wall formed with a fixing slot 62
secured on the plug 54 of the drive member 50 to combine the
control knob 60 with the drive member 50 so that the drive member
50 is rotatable in concert with the control knob 60. The control
knob 60 has an end face formed with a through bore 63 connected to
the fixing slot 62, and the lace winding device further comprises a
fastening bolt 64 extending through the through bore 63 of the
control knob 60 and screwed into the plug 54 of the drive member 50
to fasten the control knob 60 with the drive member 50.
In operation, referring to FIGS. 3-8 with reference to FIGS. 1 and
2, when the control knob 60 is pushed toward the limit barrel 40,
the drive member 50 is pushed toward the spool 20 so that the keys
52 of the drive member 50 engage the keyways 25 of the spool 20,
and the drive member 50 is combined with the spool 20. In such a
manner, when the control knob 60 is rotated, the spool 20 is also
rotated to wind the lace 70. At this time, the ratchet wheel 51 of
the drive member 50 is limited by the locking detent 450 of the
ratchet block 45 so that the ratchet wheel 51 of the drive member
50 is rotated in one direction only. Thus, the spool 20 is driven
by the drive member 50 to rotate in one direction only so as to
wind the lace 70 easily and quickly. On the contrary, when the
control knob 60 is pulled outward relative to the limit barrel 40,
the drive member 50 is pulled outward relative to the spool 20 so
that the keys 52 of the drive member 50 disengage the keyways 25 of
the spool 20, and the drive member 50 is detached from the spool
20. In such a manner, the spool 20 can be rotated in the opposite
direction to unwind the lace 70.
As shown in FIG. 9, the mounting ring 16 of the base 10 has a
substantially arc-shaped profile and has an inner portion formed
with a mounting recess 18 to receive the end cap 30. In addition,
the spool 20 has a second side provided with a recessed pivot
portion 24, and the end cap 30 has a central portion provided with
a protruding pivot section 32 mounted in the pivot portion 24 of
the spool 20 so that the pivot portion 24 of the spool 20 is
rotatable by support of the pivot section 32 of the end cap 30.
As shown in FIG. 10, the base 10 has an open peripheral wall 110
connected to the receiving chamber 11 to allow passage of the two
distal ends 72 of the lace 70, and the passages 17 of the base 10
are formed transversely in a peripheral wall of the mounting ring
16 and are connected to the open peripheral wall 110 of the base
10. In addition, the mounting ring 16 has a surface provided with
an annular enclosure 19 to shade the open peripheral wall 110 of
the base 10.
Accordingly, the ratchet wheel 51 of the drive member 50 is rotated
in one direction only by limit of the locking detent 450 of the
ratchet block 45 so that the spool 20 is driven by the drive member
50 to rotate in the positive direction only and cannot be rotated
in the opposite direction so as to wind the lace 70 easily and
quickly, thereby facilitating a user winding the lace 70. In
addition, the user only needs to rotate the control knob 60 to wind
the lace 70 so that the user can wind the lace 70 by his one hand
only so as to operate the lace winding device easily and quickly.
Further, the lace 70 is directly locked onto the spool 20 so that
the user can wind and unwind the lace 70 easily and conveniently.
Further, the lace 70 is wound around the spool 20 so that the lace
70 will not be rubbed or worn out.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its
preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood
that many other possible modifications and variations can be made
without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is,
therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will
cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true
scope of the invention.
* * * * *